SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah resorts still want skiers and snowboarders to come enjoy their groomed slopes and high-speed lifts this season, but theyre also offering expanded options for people who want to get a taste of the backcountry without the risk of going alone.New opportunities include a pair of new lifts at Powder Mountain Resort that open 5,000 acres of powder skiing through trees, and a new luxury cat-skiing operation at Whisper Ridge in northern Utah on 60,000 acres. Ski Utah is also widening its marketing of a long-running guided tour that takes in the back country near six resorts in one day.The appetite for exploring beyond the boundaries of resorts has been growing in recent years. An estimated 5.7 million skiers and snowboarders ventured into the backcountry in 2015-2016 -- up 34 percent from 2008-2009 ski season, according to research from SnowSports Industries America. A large chunk of those people went into the side country, areas connected to resorts that resemble backcountry.Utah ski resorts are hoping to repeat last years banner season in which they parlayed good early-winter snow and buzz created by Vail Resorts new mega-resort into a 10-year high for visitors. Several of the states 14 ski resorts are hoping to open in November to kick off season, though a lack of early season snow could make that difficult.Heres a look at whats new this year, including several of the new options for backcountry-like experiences.---POWDER MOUNTAIN: NEW LIFTS, NEW TERRAINPowder Mountain Resorts new lifts give skiers and snowboarders access to 10 new groomed runs on about 1,000 new acres. It also allows skiers to explore 600 new acres of rugged terrain in a bowl that before was only accessible by all-day guided snow cat operations. Skiers can get to the runs off the lifts, but must pay an additional $25 (or $20 for season pass-holders) to take a snow cat ride out of the bowl each time they ski down. Regular lift tickets cost $79 for adults.The terrain is ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers who want to practice powder and tree skiing, said J.P. Goulet, Powder Mountain spokesman.The lifts and 6 miles of new roads connect the existing resort to the site where Powder Mountains owners -- a group of young, wealthy entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders and artists who purchased the resort in 2013 -- are planning to build a New Age mountain town. Built around a vehicle-free main street, they tout the community as a rethink of the American mountain town with homes, pop-up stores, micro apartments, farm-to-table restaurants and yoga boot camps. Work has begun, but the project is expected to take several years.Powder Mountain, about 50 miles northeast of Salt Lake City, is also limiting day tickets to 2,000 per day so they can offer skiers and snowboarders uncrowded slopes.Deer Valley is the only other ski resort that has a set limit for daily skiers, though other resorts turn people away when parking lots get full, said Paul Marshall, spokesman for Ski Utah.---LUXURY CAT SKIINGFor skiers with plenty of money who are looking to get totally off the grid, Whisper Ridge Cat Skiing offers 60,000 acres of private terrain to carve through in the day and the option to spend nights at luxury yurts.The operation, located about 85 miles northeast of Salt Lake City, uses modified snow cats to carry skiers up and down the hills.Day rates are $450 per person in the early and late season and $495 during the heart of winter. Yurt lodging rates range from $725-$1,000 a night depending on the type of yurt and dates.It is not the first cat skiing operation in Utah. Park City Powder Cats has been around for years. It offers rates of $549-$569 per day, depending on the dates. Alta, Powder Mountain and Snowbird also are offering cat skiing packages.---ONE DAY, SIX RESORTSSki Utahs long running Interconnect Tour has a developed a loyal group of customers who come back, but officials are hoping to entice skiers who may be among those tempted to ski more in backcountry terrain, Marshall said.The guided tour, which costs $395 per person, takes skiers down backcountry routes near six different Utah resorts, starting at Deer Valley near Park City and finishing at Snowbird in the Little Cottonwood Canyon. The tour usually takes participants about 25 miles and down about 16,000 vertical feet.Guides carry rescue beacons and take other safety measures needed in the backcountry. Skiers must be 16 or older and must be advanced skiers. No snowboarders are allowed.It offers a taste of what the backcountry is about with the assistance of guides who know the terrain and area so well, Marshall said. Its a great way to kind of put your toes in the water.---This story has been corrected to show that the new Powder Mountain lifts open up 600 acres of new rugged terrain, not 5,000. Magasin Air Max Belgique . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Air Max Belgique Pas Cher . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. http://www.airmaxbelgique.be/ . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Nike Air Max Pas Cher Belgique . PETERSBURG, Fla. Nike Air Max Outlet Belgique . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands -- Marcus Foster admits that No. 12 Creighton really hasnt faced a tough test yet, even after beating No. 9 Wisconsin a week ago.But the Bluejays got such a test Monday night, getting pushed to the limit by Mississippi before coming away with a 86-77 victory in the championship game of the Paradise Jam tournament.Foster scored 25 points, and three other players finished in double figures for Creighton (5-0), which climbed 10 places in the AP Top 25 rankings released earlier Monday.This team is very tight, and were very close, said Foster, the tournaments MVP. Weve just got to stick together when we face adversity.Khyri Thomas added 16 points, Toby Hegner had 12 and Justin Patton 11 for the Bluejays (5-0), who trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half and were down 50-40 with 18:44 left in the second half.There was a lot of pointing fingers, a lot of arguing with the coaches, a lot of arguing with teammates, Foster said. At halftime, we talked and came closer as a family. We have to stick together when we face adversity. We havent faced adversity all season, but we did tonight.Creighton began its rally at that point, whittling down the Rebels lead until tying the score twice, the last at 74-74 with 5:45 left. Thomas then put the Bluejays ahead to stay with his three-point play with 3:40 remaining.That ignited a 12-3 Creighton run to close out the game, capped by a pair of free throws from Thomas with 40 seconds left.It was their offensive rebounding, Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. You cant run if you dont get a rebound. They were so physical on the glass . and we cant play with any pace if that happens. But we stuck with it, and the guys stuck together. Defensively and in rebounding, we stepped up when we had to..ddddddddddddDeandre Burnett and Rasheed Brooks scored 22 points each, and Cullen Neal added 10 for Mississippi (4-1).Changing our defenses slowed them down a little bit, Rebels coach Andy Kennedy said. But in the second half, it came down to them making plays. Our kids really battled, but when a Top 20 team shoots 16 of 26 from 3, its hard.BIG PICTUREMississippi: Dominated the boards in the first half, with a 26-11 advantage. That included a 12-4 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to 19 second-chance points for the Rebels. They finished with a 37-27 advantage, 17-7 in offensive rebounds and 20-4 edge in second-chance points.Creighton: The Bluejays, fresh off a 10-spot jump in the Top 25 rankings, shot 52.5 percent from the field (31 of 59), and made 16 of 26 3-pointers. That offset Mississippis advantage in second-chance points.TURNING POINTAfter tying the score for the final time, Thomas scored eight of Creightons final 12 points. After his three-point play, he connected on a 3-pointer, then capped things off with a pair of free throws with 45 seconds remaining.STAT LINECreighton reserve center Zach Hanson had missed just two field goals in the Bluejays first four games (16 of 18). But against Mississippi, he was held to 1 of 7 shooting before coming out of the game with an ankle injury in the second half.POLL IMPLICATIONSCreightons big move up the Top 25 rankings may have been a little premature. At the very least, Mississippi may get some consideration from the Top 25 voters when the next rankings come out.UP NEXTMississippi: Hosts fellow Paradise Jam participant Montana on Thursday.Creighton: Hosts Loyola (Md.) on Saturday. ' ' '